A Thousand Words
by Jivia
Summary: Humans are prone to succumbing to death. Her touch influences even mighty heroes.


"A Thousand Words"  
  
[ROUGH DRAFT] v0.2  
  
By Jivia dae Silna  
  
A.k.a.  
  
Mark Fritz  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2, Takahashi Rumiko-dono does.  
  
Author's Foward:  
  
This will be dark. It seems dark fiction is all I can write. I do hope you enjoy the  
  
journey as much as I do. Sit back, relax, and I shall try to convey what I mean   
  
through my limited ability.  
  
Epilogue  
  
Final Session  
  
This is an outline, an outline of experience. Everything must have parts.   
  
Everything must be disassembled. And here are the parts of an experience. A world   
  
that has been torn, darkened, and is painful because of this experience. A world with   
  
one common thread tying it all together: the death of a Mighty Hero.  
  
*-*-*  
  
Tendo Akane stared at the fading inscription of the marker standing before   
  
her. She read the words to herself like she always did: "Here lies the shell of a man   
  
among men." He hadn't come back. Not this time. She angrily swiped her tears aside.   
  
She would not lament what was lost; she would not bemoan her loveless existance.  
  
She turned around quickly and took that first fateful step away. Running away  
  
always dullened the pain. Akane kept her eyes focused on the ground before her as she   
  
took another step away and bumped into her older sister. She muttered an apology as   
  
she walked past Nabiki hastily, her pain momentarily forgotten. Akane stopped as she   
  
felt her sister's light touch on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."  
  
It should have been raining. It should not be so unbearably cheery. It was   
  
too damned sunny. It was hard to hide tears in the light. "You didn't do anything   
  
Nabiki."  
  
"I... "  
  
They both stood there while the delighted squeals of children mocked their   
  
solemnity. The birds sang and the sun shone with relentless cheer. "I... I know   
  
that. But... but... what the hell do want me to say, Akane?"  
  
"You don't have to say anything."  
  
Nabiki sighed heavily and placed another bouquet of flowers on top of the   
  
already large pile. "It's been three years."  
  
Nabiki's simple statement nettled Akane, it somehow _annoyed_ her. Her   
  
clenched fists quailed at her sides and she counted from ten to one to calm herself.   
  
"Drop it."  
  
"You need to move on."  
  
"Shut. Up."  
  
"Akane, it's been three-"  
  
The snap of flesh hitting flesh sounded so very hollow. Nabiki gingerly   
  
touched her cheek and winced. She turned and looked at the bowed head of her sobbing   
  
sister. She had tried being cautious and had, this one time, tried directness.  
  
Akane's sobs shook her thin frame. She kneaded her stinging palm as her   
  
tears hit the ground. She could not, however, knead her stinging heart. The pain   
  
rarely left her alone. She turned away from her sister and the source of the pain.   
  
The hurt faded to a throb as she ran away.  
  
Nabiki stood there, helpless as ever, and watched her sister run away from   
  
her. The distance was always widening. Her leaden feet and soul didn't allow her   
  
the comfort of closing the cleft. Always widening.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Hello Kuonji-san."  
  
Nabiki didn't bother facing Ukyou. She kept her eyes on the dying. A whisper   
  
of a wind flowed by, rustling the scant leaves on the ground. The mundane sounds of   
  
traffic and the useless chatter of pedestrians filled the air with buzzing, constant   
  
sound. All so very _mundane_.  
  
"So... how're things?"  
  
"As good as they can be, Kuonji-san."  
  
"Oh. Well... that's good," Ukyou offered lamely.  
  
Both women fell silent as small talk had never been either woman's strong suit.   
  
Ukyou walked slowly past Nabiki and stopped before the modest marker and pile of   
  
flowers. After a near silent and half-hearted prayer, Ukyou placed her own bouquet   
  
atop the other offers of consolation. She turned and walked away, stopping right   
  
behind Nabiki.  
  
"Goodbye Tendo-san."  
  
"Goodbye."  
  
*-*-*  
  
This is the epilogue, yes. It is not, however, the end.  
  
Jivia 


End file.
